This A – Z Challenge post is brought to you by the letter “C”

A to Z Challenge

I am so excited to take part in this, my second, A – Z Challenge!  Last year I did the challenge using “recipes” as my inspiration.  Well, this year I’m going to draw on my nursing background and use “parts of the human body” as my inspiration!  Hmmm…a part of the body that starts with “Q”, “X” or “Z”….

It should be a lot of fun and I’m looking forward to seeing how everyone interprets the Challenge!

So, without further ado, “C” is for Cornea:

A - Z Challenge

Image obtained from St. Luke’s Cataract and Laser Institute website.

The cornea is the transparent, dome-shaped window covering the front of the eye. It is a powerful refracting surface, providing 2/3 of the eye’s focusing power. Like the crystal on a watch, it gives us a clear window to look through.

Because there are no blood vessels in the cornea, it is normally clear and has a shiny surface. The cornea is extremely sensitive – there are more nerve endings in the cornea than anywhere else in the body.

The adult cornea is only about 1/2 millimeter thick and is comprised of 5 layers: epithelium, Bowman’s membrane, stroma, Descemet’s membrane and the endothelium.

“C” is also for:

capillary  A microscopic blood vessel that connects an arteriole and a venule; the functional unit of the circulatory system.

cardiac muscle  Muscle of the heart, consisting of striated muscle cells. These cells are interconnected into a mass called the myocardium.

carpus The proximal portion of the hand that contains the eight carpal bones.

cartilage  A type of connective tissue with a solid elastic matrix.

cauda equina  The lower end of the spinal cord where the roots of spinal nerves have a tail-like appearance.

cecum  The pouchlike portion of the large intestine to which the ileum of the small intestine is attached.

cell The structural and functional unit of an organism; the smallest structure capable of performing all the functions necessary for life.

central nervous system Part of the nervous system consisting of the brain and the spinal cord; CNS.

cerebellum  The portion of the brain concerned with the coordination of skeletal muscle contraction. Part of the metencephalon, it consists of two hemispheres and a central vermis.

cerebrospinal fluid  A fluid produced by the choroid plexus of the ventricles of the brain. It fills the ventricles and surrounds the central nervous system in association with the meninges.

cerebrum  The largest portion of the brain, composed of the right and left hemispheres.

cervix  1.The narrow necklike portion of an organ. 2.The inferior end of the uterus that adjoins the vagina(cervix of the uterus).

chorion An extraembryonic membrane that participates in the formation of the placenta.

chromosomes Structures in the nucleus that contain the genes for genetic expression.

And the list goes on, and on, and on…seems our bodies are made up of many “C”s.  You can see even more by visiting the McGraw-Hill Applied Biology Resource Center website.

The information contained in this post was obtained from St. Luke’s Cataract and Laser Institute and McGraw-Hill Applied Biology Resource Center.

My theme for last years challenge was “Recipes” and my “C” post was Cranberry Pistachio Bark.

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14 Responses to This A – Z Challenge post is brought to you by the letter “C”

  1. Elisa says:

    Love it! Great post. I will interested to see what you pick for the tough letters :)

  2. Shannon says:

    Great post! As always, very informative :)

  3. Patricia says:

    Great ideas. I am always learning ( and relearning) about this great body we all have!

    Patricia, Sugar & Spice & All Things ? Nice

  4. Ro @ Eat Live Move says:

    Today I’m thankful for my “cerebrum” because I am to sense touch, communicate with others, and plan for the rest of this challenge! ;-) Great post!

    Eat Live Move: Intuitive Eating from A to Z

  5. Kathy McKendry says:

    It’s so amazing to me how our eyeballs work! Thanks for the cool post! :)

  6. Oak Lawn Images says:

    Wow, I didn’t know the eye was so complicated, yet they can be so beautiful and all the other ‘C’ words too.

  7. Leigh says:

    What a great spin on the challenge! Looking forward to seeing you talk about the awkward body parts!
    Stopping by… #970
    Leigh @oneandoneequalstwinfun.com

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